Public health nutrition, food security, climate change, land use, behaviour change

My research is focused on food systems and sustainable diets, which is interdisciplinary by nature and sits at the nexus of food and nutrition security, environmental impacts (climate change, land use) and behaviour change.

• Food and nutrition security.
• Food systems, sustainable diets and climate change.
• Dietary behaviours, habits and food choices.

In my role as the interim Director of Interdisciplinary Challenge Area for Health, Nutrition and Wellbeing I am creating a centre to support a dynamic interdisciplinary research environment across the university to advance key areas of research to find solutions for some of the major challenges faced in society today. An interdisciplinary approach is also being integrated into our undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. 

I have a BSc (Hons) in Nutrition and Food Science from the University of Surrey, during my undergraduate degree I worked at the CSIRO research laboratories in Melbourne, Australia for a year. Before starting a PhD at the University of Leeds (Psychology), I worked as a research assistant at the Institute of Food Research (Norwich) and the University of Dundee (School of Psychology). I worked for the International Obesity Task Force in Aberdeen, then joining the Rowett Institute at the University of Aberdeen in 2006. I was awards a chair in 2017 and in 2021 appointed as the interim Director of the Interdisciplinary Challenge area for Health, Nutrition and Wellbeing.

University of Aberdeen pump-priming Interdisciplinary Award (2021) Young people’s views about climate change and eating less meat. £7K. 

University/GCRF pump-priming award (2020-21). Food insecurity and dietary diversity among low-income migrant workers affected by COVID-19 in India. £50K (£87K FEC).

GCRF (2018-2023) AFRICAP - Agricultural and Food-system Resilience: Increasing Capacity and Advising Policy. University Leeds, University of Aberdeen, Chatham House, FANRPAN, Met Office.

Scottish Government (Rural and Environment Research Analysis Directorate) (2017-22) Programme of research on sustainable diets. University of Aberdeen.

Wellcome Trust (2017-2019) Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems (SHEFS). London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of Aberdeen.

Belmont Forum/FACCE-JPI International Collaborative Research Funding (2015-2019). DEVIL (Delivering Food Security on Limited Land), International multidisciplinary partnership (8 countries). Led by University of Aberdeen.

National Nutrition Security: Daniel and Nicol Carasso Foundation. Nutrition security and international trade in the UK. €10K.

Wellcome Trust (2014-16) Sustainable and healthy diets in India. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of Aberdeen.

Scottish Government (2014) Guidance for caterers on children’s menus. Aberdeen University.  £9,791.

Food Standards Agency Scotland (2012-13) Estimate of the greenhouse gas emissions of the Eatwell week. Aberdeen University. 

WWF-UK (2010) Livewell project: A balance of healthy and sustainable food choices. University of Aberdeen.

Food Standards Agency Scotland (2010-2011). Survey of diet, influences on food choices and eating practices among children in Scotland in 2010. University of Aberdeen

Food Standards Agency Scotland (2007-2008) Secondary Analysis of the Survey of Sugar Intake among Children in Scotland. University of Aberdeen.

Scottish Government (Rural and Environment Research Analysis Directorate) (2009-12) Environmental Determinants of Public Health in Scotland  (EDPHiS) Obesity case study. Unversity of Aberdeen, University of Glasgow.

Health and Safety Executive (2004-5) Further investigation of the possible musculoskeletal, cognitive deficit and hearing deficit due to welding in divers identified in the ELTHI Diving study. Aberdeen University.

Health and Safety Executive (2003) Identification of factors affecting quality of life in divers and offshore workers. University of Aberdeen.

Health and Safety Executive (2002) Attitudes to safety culture among divers and offshore work. University of Aberdeen.

Coordinator of the MSc course on Sustainable diets and global food systems (on-line)

Lecturer on the MSc Nutrition, MSc Global Health, MSc Global Nutrition, Fundamentals of Research Design, Sixth Century Course on World Food

External lecturer on the MSc Nutrition (University of Glasgow)

British Nutrition Foundation Scientific steering committee (2020-current).

FAO/WHO International Science Committee: UN dietary guiding principles for sustainable and healthy diets (2019-20)

International Union of Nutritional Sciences Task Force on Sustainable Diets (2018- present) 

Scientific committee British Nutrition Foundation (2020- present)

FAO/WHO International Consultation Group on Sustainable and Healthy Diets (2018-2019)

BBSRC Global Food Security Science Advisory Group, UK (2017-2020) 

BBSRC Public Panel Steering group, UK (2014-2016)

Scientific Committee for International Sustainable Food Systems and Diets (Daniel et Nina Carasso Foundation, France) (2012-2017)

University of Leeds, UK.

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK. 

Kings College London, UK.

James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen, UK

Met Office, UK

Chatham House, London, UK

WWF, UK

International collaboration, including USA, Australia, Brazil, India, Switzerland, South Africa, Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania.

Research Interests

My research interests focus on food systems, nutrition security and healthy, environmentally sustainable diets.  

Key interests include:

• Food and nutrition security.
• Healthy, sustainable diets, including climate change and land use.
• Food systems research.
• Dietary behaviours, habits and food choices.

Activities (2016-21)

• Bristish Nutrition Foundation Scientific steering committee (2020-present)
• Academy of Medical Sciences and the Royal Society Steering Committee for ‘Climate Change and Health’ (2021-present).
• Expert panel member for the ‘Public dialogue on the National Food Strategy’ (2020).
• FAO/WHO International Committee for development of UN dietary guiding principles for sustainable and healthy diets (2019).
• Chair of BBSRC Global Food Security Sandpit event for grants for £1.8 million (2018).
• Science Advisory Group BBSRC Global Food Security programme (2017-2019).
• International Union of Nutritional Sciences Task Force on Sustainable Diets (2018- 2020).
• Daniel et Nina Carasso Foundation International Sustainable Food Systems and Diets Scientific Committee (2012-2017).
• BBSRC Global Food Security Public Panel Steering group, UK (2014-2016).

• 14 invited national and internal plenary lectures (2016-2021)
• University of Aberdeen Excellence Award for interdisciplinary research
• Principal’s Prize for Public Engagement with Research in Biomedical Sciences Awarded by the University of Aberdeen and Wellcome Trust

Supervision

PhD students:

2018-present: Soya transitions and implications on food systems in Zambia

2016-present: Determinations of food practice in the home.  

2014-19: The Environmental Consequences of Delivering Food Security.

2014-19: Constraints and opportunities for the development of mixed production systems which integrate beekeeping into crop production systems.

2013-17: Healthy, sustainable diets and land use.

2012-18: Non-price determinants of food choice.

2007-10: Knowledge and intake of NMES among children.

Teaching

Coordinator MSc course on Sustainable Diets and Global Food Systems (on-line).

Lecturer on MSc Nutrition, MSc Global Health, MSc Global Nutrition, Sixth Century Course on World Food (University of Aberdeen).

External lecturer MSc Nutrition (University of Glasgow).